Hi all,
i have read a lot about itchiness with lichen sclerosus but havent found much about sores/open small ulcers. does anyone else experience an open sore during flare ups? i have just been applying clobetasol cream and vaseline so far but it can be painful. has happened before around my menstrual cycle but just wanted to see if anyone else is experiencing this.
thanks!
Hi hannah, yes I have experienced sores/ulcers and I think many other women with LS have as well. The thing about sores is that the steroid cream in my opinion is too strong for them. Try putting a tiny bit of cream like Desitin (baby bottom cream) or something similar for a couple of days and then it is best to let it dry out which means keeping it clean and dry and avoiding exercise which causes you to sweat a lot.
have you been tested for herpes
yes i have been. because everyone i saw thought it was that until it came back negative and finally someone mentioned LS. these sores dont happen often, and it seems its only when i have my period or right around then. sometimes after sex as well
did you notice that they appeared during / right after your period or could you tie them to any changes (hormonal, sex, etc)? i think i will try something less abrasive like you mentioned! have you had any luck with vitamin E oil?
hi hannah, yes i get open sores too. couldnt use the steroid cream because it was so painful. I used castor oil with lavender oil and frankinsence mixed and it is a calming balm. Cleared it up wonderfully. i am post menopause, ive never had much itching, usually been a painful condition and probably had it, undiagnosed, for a long time.
HI, Hannah! Whenever i get sores, i treat them with an antibiotic salve with pain killer. It relieved the pain and promotes healing.
Hi Hannah, when you have an outbreak it means you are having a flare up or what I like to refer to as a mini flare up. For me and many others this is normally connected to diet, either too much sugar/alcohol or perhaps something else that I have eaten. I'm 56 and so I dont have periods anymore. However, I do believe hormones play a role in LS and it may be that you are one of those women that experience that.
Oils are very good for lubrication, you can use coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, emu oil, there are many and it is better to rotate them as LS prefers it.
thank you for all of your advice! I am going to try some sort of oil for sure and see if that is a bit more soothing! this is a great community! :)
I Had alot of sores that were very painful. I used emuaid ointment on them and pain and itching were gone within ten days. I also blotted with a cold washcloth after every pee break. just blot, don't rub and dry afterward. I used a moisture barrier ointment from MEDLINE WITH aloe, VIT A, D, E to protect skin from urine. AND I used 100% organic tampons and pantyliners- no plastic! It does get better.-with dietary changes, vitamin supplements and CLOB/ moisturizers, I AM NOW IN REMISSION. No symptoms or discomfort anymore. GOOD LUCK to you!!!
maybe need a prescription antibiotic ointment. if you use yo much clobe you can get folliculitis i did at fist and it happened to me. less clobe. less.is more!
thank you SO much for all of your advice karen!!!
hi i only use the cob rarely and not on open sores , i find better borax in spray bottle mix with water use after every toilet then pat dry then a mix off caster lavender and emu oil helps keep sores at bay also the same i get worse after a period but spray more with borax dueing this time
Hi Hannah, yes I got those when I had my period (they've stopped now, and so have the sores). I wasn't diagnosed with LS until after my periods had stopped, but I thought afterwards that they may have been caused by the chemicals in sanitary towels. Can you try changing to more natural ones? or using tampons? It might be worth a try, though I don't really have an answer for you. Good luck Bridge